Author Topic: What do you use to oil your contender? (Read 931 times)

Shaylex · « **on:** February 09, 2005, 08:35:39 PM »

I'll try to keep this brief. A while back I purchased a used contender (my first). Left the gun shop and took it out to a friends place and fired a few rounds just to check function. Worked fine. Brought it home and gave it a good cleaning. It needed it, looked as though it hadn't been done in years. Did not disassemble the gun other than removing the barrel, grip and trigger group. Sprayed the action out with Gun Scrubber. Oiled it up to prevent rust and re-assembled everything. Suddenly, a problem appeared. Now when I cocked the hammer back, it would only stay back maybe half the time. Couldn't figure out why my dirty gun worked fine but my clean gun didn't. Did some reading on GBO and saw somewhere that T/C recommends not oiling the contender. I sprayed it out again to get rid of the oil and put it back together. Problem solved. Now for my question. What do you use on the unprotected metal to keep rust from forming that won't stop the gun from functioning properly? Hope I didn't ramble on too long. Thanks.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2005, 02:40:39 AM »

I clean my contenders down with Shooters Choice and then wipe them down with Break free. I have never had a problem as you described.

skb2706 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2005, 09:25:25 AM »

My personal opinion is that there are more places on a TC frame that shouldn't be oiled than oiled.....I use a very light machine oil I get in one of the needlelike squeeze deals. Couple drops is about it.....
Long storage in the safe I use one of those gunoil clothes that comes in a pull out plastic container and wipe down the outside. I use most of my Contenders in a very dusty wind blown environment...I really don't like any kind of oil around that.

Steve P · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2005, 04:30:36 PM »

I wipe down the outside and down the barrel with gun scrubber or G96 cleaner. I put teflon grease on the sear and sometimes on the barrel pin and locking lugs. No oil.

STeve

flintlock54 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2005, 04:57:35 PM »

Hornady One Shot gun cleaner can not be beat. I use it to flush out the complete frame then wipe it down. Cleans like gun scrubber but leaves a dry lube when dried.

Shaylex · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2005, 07:58:29 PM »

Thanks for the replies gentleman. I like the sounds of the Hornady One Shot. I've never noticed it available anyplace locally. Guess I'll look a little harder or see if maybe I can order some through the mail.

flintlock54 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 12, 2005, 06:09:08 AM »

Most mail order places like Midsouth handle it. Can't say enough about the stuff for flushing out actions, bolts, bores etc. Softens fouling so you can wipe it off easier. To speed up bore cleaning, I run a bronze brush dipped in Shooters Choice several times through the bore to break up the fouling. Then I use the Hornady One Shot with the spray straw that comes with the can to flush the black crude from the bore. Saves time cleaning. Only requires a patch or two this way. Then follow up with a patch of Butches Bore Shine. Dry patch. Then a patch of Butches oil. And I forgot, I use the one shot to spray clean the bronze brush.

rickyp · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2005, 03:45:24 PM »

what I do is this
for long term storage I use break cleaner or carb cleaner, these are very close to the gun scrubber but are lot cheaper and essayer to find. to clean the frame well. then I use wd-40 and spray the entire frame down very well and then put the grip back on then put it away. before I take it out for use I will wipe everything down and may take the grip back off and give it a shot of the break cleaner to remove the extra wd-40.

When I am hunting with them I use the break cleaner and clean the frame very well and use the wd-40 on a few cleaning patches and then wipe down the inside and out side.
this may not be the best but it works for me most of the time.

Lone Star · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2005, 03:29:45 PM »

I'm surprised that so few Contender owners bother to even read and follow the Owners Manual. Answer - no oil on internal parts. Simple, I've followed it for 31 years and three frames - and mucho barrels - no problems hunting in the wet Alaskan bush to the dry west Texas desert. When in doubt, follow the directions. :eek:

Shaylex · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2005, 04:22:30 PM »

Lone Star,
I bought the gun used. Didn't get an owners manual with it. Gun only. About a week ago, I e-mailed TC to request a manual but have not yet received it.

Lone Star · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2005, 04:59:08 AM »

That's fine Shaylex - what's everyone else's excuse? :wink:

rickyp · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2005, 08:12:56 AM »

Quote from: Lone Star

That's fine Shaylex - what's everyone else's excuse? :wink:

My excuse is: I use a black powder barrel on my contender frames and
If i do not get it cleaned out well and oiled it will rust in a very short time.
I made a cleaning procedure that I follow and now do it for all my contender cleaning just so I will not miss a step when it is needed.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2005, 12:59:03 PM »

I know what you mean rickyp. :-)

pastorp · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2005, 02:30:08 PM »

Lonestar, What a novel idea! Follow the directions. Wish I had known that the last swing set I assembled. Come to think of it I don't believe I have ever bought a contender new either. Don't have a manual either. Guess I should get one. I use FP10 or EEzox on mine with no problems. Regards, Byron

pastorp · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2005, 02:35:18 PM »

PS, I don't think no oil would work where I live. You desert rats can get away with that I know I lived in the desert a few years. 150-200 inches of rain and continual exposer to salt spray and condensation means rust on blued steel with no oil. Regards, Byron

Lone Star · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2005, 06:32:20 AM »

Pastorp, I hunted in SC Alaska for 27 years, most of that time with un-oiled Contenders. No rust on the internal parts, I always wiped down the outside with oil though, as the instructions suggest. I hunted Kodiak every Fall from tidewater up to 3500 feet, but wasn't drenched in salt water.

The problem with the oil is it attracts dust and grit, concentrating it at the critical points, which is where the oil seems to congregate. This causes sticking and malfunctions of the fly/intercock mechanism. I always hunted with a chest holster so the T/C was kinda protected...it got plenty of sweat but no rust. Perhaps I am more careful with my firearms than others are.... :?:

Locoweed · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2005, 09:14:03 AM »

For cleaning, lubing, and protecting the outside of all my firearms I use Breakfree CLP (naturally). I have a plastic box in which I keep an assortment of old tooth brushes, clean paint brushes of varying stiffness, etc, all well soaked in CLP. To clean the outside of my gun I merely scrub it down well with the appropriate brush and then let it sit for 24 hours before wiping away the excess. This system works great and I never have rust problems, even on small pocket pistols carried in the Alabama heat and humidity. When I was young I used to use WD-40 a bit on guns but discovered that they leave a real gummy residue over time. For the innards of a gun (and to remove heavy grease and cosmoline) brake cleaner is better than carb cleaner because there is absolutely no residue. You'll want to plenty of fresh air for these aeresol cleaners.

HHI-7420 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2005, 02:25:49 PM »

Hey guys, you're wasting money. Buy yourself a quart of light weight motor oil(5w ?) and you're fixed for life. Or save your drippings the next time you change your oil. I've been doing this for over 40 yrs.(the last time I bought any was in 1958) and none of my guns have EVER had any rust on them. Rain, sweat, and salt -come to Fla.. Motor oil doesn't evaporate and is long lasting during storage. Try it, you'll like it. :drink4: Pat